A test to help indicate which people may be most at risk from life-threatening allergic reactions was recently announced.  The test, developed by Dr. Andrew Walls working with doctors at Southampton General Hospital, could help combat a rise serious allergic reactions from food items such as peanuts.

The new procedure works by measuring levels of an enzyme in the blood that is involved in allergic reactions that have the potential to cause fatal anaphylactic shock.

The test, which is attracting interest from around the world, has been used extensively in Southampton clinical research studies, as well as in complex cases around the UK.

Many health care practitioners are hoping the new test could become "the gold standard test" across the world for the diagnosis of severe allergic reactions.

Dr. Walls, a leader in immunopharmacology, states, " Allergic reactions to drugs are increasingly common and reactions to food such as peanuts, tree nuts and fruit are also a concern, particularly in children and adolescents.  But reliable tests for establishing the risk of a reaction have not been available leaving patients vulnerable to serious reactions in the future."

People who are prone to life-threatening allergic reactions have considerably higher levels of an enzyme called CPA3.  The enzyme level can increase rapidly within minutes of the onset of serious allergic reactions (known as anaphylactic shock) and remains high for more than a day afterward.

Using materials Dr. Walls developed over years in his research lab, a technique was created which measures these levels in patients to discover which people are most at risk.  The new test could radically change the way clinicians manage those afflicted with allergic reactions.

Dr. Walls adds the development of this test could help to determine the proportion of people who have a specific allergy and may be at risk for a life-threatening reaction. 

According to Dr. Walls, this advance will allow clinicians to understand the vulnerability of these patients to ensure they either avoid their particular food trigger or to provide them with an injection device so they can administer a drug to fight the shock, thus reducing their chance of continued serious attacks.

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